ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. rash — hasty
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. band — a music group
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mate — a friend
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rash — a series
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mug — a face
  15. mate — to breed
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. stand — to bear
  18. mate — a partner

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com